organizing the anthracite miners. In September 1900, they
called a general strike. Although at that time the union had only 8000
members in this region, the strike order was obeyed by over 100,000
miners; and within a few weeks the strike became truly general. Probably
the union could not have won if it had to rely solely on economic
strength. However, the impending Presidential election led to an
interference by Senator Mark Hanna, President McKinley's campaign
manager. Through him President John Mitchell of the United Mine Workers
was informed that the operators would abolish the objectionable sliding
scale system of wage payments, increase rates 10 percent and agree to
meet committees of their employes for the adjustment of grievances.
This, however, did not carry a formal recognition of the union; it was
not a trade agreement but merely an unwritten understanding. A part of
the same understanding was that the terms which had been agreed upon
should remain in force until April, 1901. At its expiration the
identical terms were renewed for another year, while the negotiations
bore the same informal character.

During 1902 the essential instability of the arrangement led to sharp
friction. The miners claimed that many operators violated the unwritten
agreement. The operators, on their part, charged that the union was
using every means for practically enforcing the closed shop, which was
not granted in the understanding. In the early months of 1902 the miners
presented demands for a reduction of the hours of labor from 10 to 9,
for a twenty percent increase in wages, for payment according to the
weight of coal mined, and for the recognition of the union. The
operators refused to negotiate, and on May 9 the famous anthracite
strike of 1902 began.

It is unnecessary to detail the events of the anthracite strike. No
other strike is better known and remembered. More than 150,000 miners
stood out for approximately five months. The strike was financed by a
levy of one dollar per week upon all employed miners in the country,
which yielded over $2,000,000. In addition several hundred thousand
dollars came in from other trade unions and from the public generally.
In October, when the country was facing a most serious coal famine,
President Roosevelt took a hand. He called in the presidents of the
anthracite railroads and the leading union officials for a conference in
the White House and urged arbitration. At first he met with r